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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22879402">This Old World Is a New World</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account'>orphan_account</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stranger Things (TV 2016)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dead Neil Hargrove, Domestic Bliss, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Steve Harrington is a Good Boyfriend</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 09:27:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,890</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22879402</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's 11:20 pm and Billy is sitting cross-legged on their bed, eating a bowl of reheated Smoky Spanish Chicken. It seems like a difficult task, he has to balance the bowl on his legs because he refused to let go of Steve's hand. His eyes are swollen from all the crying and his nose is still a bit red.</p><p>"Billy?" </p><p>"Hmm?" </p><p>"You're the most beautiful person I've ever seen," Steve says, because it's true. Billy is the kind of beautiful you double-check when you see walking down the streets because you think your mind is playing tricks on you, like, there's no way that's a real life person. And then you triple-check, and then you're late for work but it doesn't matter when you remember his face. </p><p>Billy rolls his eyes, but he's beaming. "Don't get gay on me, Harrington."</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Billy Hargrove &amp; Maxine "Max" Mayfield, Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>192</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>This Old World Is a New World</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>rated T for language and title from Nina Simone’s song called ‘Feeling Good’. </p><p>again, i’ve posted this fic anonymously on my old account before and i love it too so i decided to post it here. hope y’all enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>Steve (6:17 pm)</b>
</p><p>How's work babe? </p><p>Feeling Good is playing in the background while Steve prepares dinner -not the original Nina Simone song though, the Muse cover-, taking his sweet time in peeling the skin of a raw chicken, something he would have never considered doing in his life if it wasn't the main ingredient of Billy's favorite dish. </p><p>It still amazes him, the things he would do for Billy. Like go through almost six seasons of Vikings for example, even the days he really, <em> really </em>wanted to watch Fast and Furious. Or, like, bring a damn cat to their apartment. Steve is allergic to cats. Or, well, he used to be, because he's not allergic to Mr. Bigglesworth at all. Billy says he was probably never allergic to cats in the first place and it was all psychological or whatever, maybe he just hated that expensive, bald thing that his mom insisted it was a 'sphynx cat'. Mr. Bigglesworth is nothing like it, he's all fluffy and affectionate and when Steve wakes up and sees him curled up in Billy's side, he goes to work with a smile. </p><p>Hell, Steve even let Billy win at Axis &amp; Allies, like, three times. Billy <em> sucks </em>at Axis &amp; Allies. </p><p>His phone lits up with a new notification, but he doesn't check it until he's finished peeling the chicken and has washed his hands twice. </p><p>
  <b>Billy (6:19) </b>
</p><p>Boring, can't wait to go home </p><p>How was your class? </p><p>
  <b>Steve (6:22) </b>
</p><p>Professor suspended it, had an urgent doctor appointment or some shit</p><p>
  <b>Billy (6:23) </b>
</p><p>Lucky bastard </p><p>Did you enjoy your free time then? </p><p>
  <b>Steve (6:25) </b>
</p><p>A lot </p><p>I have a surprise for you </p><p>
  <b>Billy (6:26)</b>
</p><p>Is it sex related? </p><p>
  <b>Steve (6:26) </b>
</p><p>No, it's food related </p><p>
  <b>Billy (6:27) </b>
</p><p>Damn, I was really hoping for sex </p><p>Steve snorts, texts Billy to get over it and goes back to work. He's getting better at chopping vegetables, he notices as he chops the green onion way faster than he's used to, and then everything's done and the chicken is in the oven and he can relax on the sofa, maybe watch a few chapters of Avatar before Billy comes back… </p><p>The doorbell ringing derails his train of thoughts. Mr. Bigglesworth's ears straight up at the sound, like he knows Steve was not expecting visitors and he decides to stay alert. Steve smiles at him, hopes cats understand humans better than humans understand cats. </p><p>Looking through the peephole, all Steve can see is red. Long, wavy red hair falling messily over blue eyes. He frowns, hurries to open the door. </p><p>"Hey Max, what are you doing here?" Steve knows the people she lives with are not precisely the responsible type, but his and Billy's apartment is nowhere close to Max's house and it's getting late. Besides, the wary expression on her face is making him feel uneasy. "Is everything okay?" </p><p>"Is, uh, is Billy home?" </p><p>"Hasn't returned from work yet, why? What's wrong?" Max worries her bottom lip between her teeth and says nothing. Steve starts panicking. "Max!"</p><p>"It's- it's Neil. He died." </p><p>Steve's breath catches in his throat, swears his heart stops working for a minute or so. The information is so unexpected that he has a hard time trying to process it, gets caught halfway up his brain and makes him believe that he's dreaming. </p><p>Is he? </p><p>"He…" </p><p>"Can I come in? Please?" </p><p>"Yes, God, sorry." Steve quickly moves aside, urges Max in. "I'm sorry. I'm just, you know, shocked. </p><p>"Yeah, I am too." </p><p>They stand in silence for a while, there's a lot Steve wants to say, wants to <em> ask </em>, but keeps his mouth shut for Max's sake. She came here looking for Billy, after all. </p><p>"He got hit by a car," Max finally says. "Went out last night, never came back. He uses to do that shit so my mom didn't bother calling the police. It was them who called her, at the end. The accident was around 5 am and he died, like, three hours later. The other guy fled the scene and he stayed to the side of a deserted street, bleeding out. No one found him until 4 pm today." </p><p>Steve hates that he feels relieved, not only because Neil is dead, but also because he had the horrible, violent death that he deserved. And yeah, Steve has always hoped to watch him die in a few more horrible and violent scenarios, but he guesses bleeding out for three endless hours will do. He's satisfied. </p><p>"How's your mom?" </p><p>Max sighs, makes her way to the sofa and collapses on it. "Devastated." </p><p>"How are you?" </p><p>She takes her time to answer, like she's considering it. "Want me to be brutally honest?" </p><p>"Always." </p><p>"I'm glad he's dead." And, yeah. Steve saw that coming. "It's just, you know, it's weird. Like, I feel bad for my mom and now I gotta… tell Billy, or whatever, and I really hoped I would never have to even say his name in front of Billy again. I know he's doing good at therapy and all that but I <em> have </em>to tell him, right?"</p><p>A chill runs down Steve's spine, makes him realize that he hasn't been thinking about Billy's sake until Max mentioned therapy. Because, yes, Billy is doing better. Billy is doing great, actually, and at the same time he's nowhere near done. A whole life of suffering hardcore verbal and physical abuse can't get overcome with just two years of therapy. For fuck's sake, Billy <em> just </em> reached the 'hey, I think I didn't deserve that, fuck you!' stage. And now he just lost all opportunity to yell that to Neil's ugly face, lost all opportunity to sue him for child abuse or beat the shit out of him, because the fucker had to go and die. Billy's been learning how to heal in a world where Neil still existed, where Neil was still easy to reach. And now he's gone. </p><p>Steve really has no idea how Billy will take the news, and the anticipation makes him want to throw up. Still, "Yes, Max. You have to tell him." </p><p>As if on cue, the door of the apartment opens and Billy steps inside. He walks across the living room, eyeing Steve and Max curiously. </p><p>"Not that I'm not happy to see you, kiddo, but I've been promised with food. And unless you brought me Cali food, you don't count as a surprise." Billy jokes, throws his backpack carelessly on the carpet. Steve's heart aches. "Why are you two so silent? And what's with the long faces?" </p><p>"Billy-" </p><p>"Your sister has something important to tell you," Steve interferes, understands that's not his place until Billy wants it to be. "Why don't you go for a walk?" </p><p>"Is everything okay?" </p><p>"Yeah," Max assures him, though her voice shakes and Billy doesn't look convinced. "Take me to that park we like?" </p><p>Billy nods, reaches down to get his car keys from his backpack and stands awkwardly waiting for direction. Max hugs Steve and whispers a silent 'thank you' in his ear before she walks out of the apartment with Billy following close behind.</p><p>Once alone, Steve puts on Avatar and tries to ignore the anxious feeling creeping in the pit of his stomach.</p><p>It's 9:28 pm and Billy hasn't returned yet. Hasn't even responded to Steve's text asking how's it going. He wants to call, but he doesn't know if Billy is still talking with Max, or if he needs to be left alone for a while to think, or. The Smoky Spanish Chicken has gone cold.</p><p>It's 9:55 when Billy comes home. Steve stops pacing around the living room when he hears the door opening and doesn't give Billy time to say or to do anything, he just guides him into his arms and hugs him as tightly as he can. Steve chokes back a sob of relief when Billy immediately hugs back. </p><p>"I'm sorry I took so long, I drove Max home and Susan was waiting for her outside and invited me in so we could talk and-" Steve presses gentle kisses on his hair, runs both of his hands up and down Billy's spine. "And my phone died back at work. I'm sorry I worried you." </p><p>"No, babe, it's fine. I'm just glad you're home." </p><p>They stay like that for a few minutes, just holding each other. Billy's got his face buried in the curve of Steve's neck, his long eyelashes tickle on his boyfriend's warm skin. He's taking deep breaths against it, too, has told Steve before that breathing him in grounds him. Makes him feel safe. That there's nothing more efficient than getting drunk on Steve's scent when he's afraid he might lose it. </p><p>Steve gets it. When he gets back from work or from one of his classes, it's not their hideous purple sofa that Billy insisted on buying that reminds him he's home. It's not their PS4 either, nor their half stocked fridge. </p><p>It's Billy's toothbrush next to his. It's Billy's notes from his last class on the desktop. It's Billy's clothes in <em> anywhere </em> but the closet. </p><p>Steve takes Billy's face between his hands and forces him to meet his eyes. He looks like he could cry. Steve wishes he would cry, sometimes. "How do you feel?" </p><p>Billy laughs wetly. "I don't know. Haven't had time to think about that yet." </p><p>"I love you." </p><p>"I know," Billy pecks Steve on the lips, makes it linger. "He really is gone, huh?" </p><p>"He is. He can't hurt nobody anymore." </p><p>Billy's got a lot in his mind, Steve can tell. He's biting his bottom lip hard enough to break skin, his gaze unfocused and full of worry. Steve has never seen it that blue before. </p><p>Still, Steve maintains the eye contact. Knows that Billy needs it, needs the<em> grounding </em>. </p><p>"Do you-" Billy tries. Fails. Steve strokes his face with his thumbs as Billy tries again. "Do you think, do you think he's going to pay now? For what he did?" </p><p><em> For what he did to me </em>, is what Billy wants to say. His beautiful eyes are sparkling with tears now. Steve wishes he would let them fall, sometimes. </p><p>"I'm sure he's going to pay for what he did," Steve's voice is thick for struggling with his own tears. "<em> To you </em>." </p><p>Billy nods, tucks his face back in Steve's neck, and cries. </p><p>It's 11:20 pm and Billy is sitting cross-legged on their bed, eating a bowl of reheated Smoky Spanish Chicken. It seems like a difficult task, he has to balance the bowl on his legs because he refused to let go of Steve's hand. His eyes are swollen from all the crying and his nose is still a bit red.</p><p>"Billy?" </p><p>"Hmm?" </p><p>"You're the most beautiful person I've ever seen," Steve says, because it's true. Billy is the kind of beautiful you double-check when you see walking down the streets because you think your mind is playing tricks on you, like, there's no way that's a real life person. And then you triple-check, and then you're late for work but it doesn't matter when you remember his face. </p><p>Billy rolls his eyes, but he's beaming. "Don't get gay on me, Harrington." </p><p>"Oh I'll show you gay, Hargrove." </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>kudos and comments are always appreciated, thanks for reading!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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